Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGE FOR A LIQUID LAUNDRY DETERGENT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Package for a liquid laundry detergent.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Laundering clothing presents many sensorial rewards to people who do laundry.
They
experience the scent of the laundry detergent as it is dosed into the washing
machine, the
blooming of perfume during the wash cycle, the release of perfume when they
transfer wet
laundry from the washing machine to a dryer, the blooming of the perfume
during drying, the
release of perfume during folding, the soft feel of retrieving clean and dried
clothing from the
dryer, and the delight of wearing fresh smelling clothing. Over the course of
doing the laundry,
the scent experience is an enjoyable and rewarding part of the process.
However, the tactile
experience of doing the laundry is sometimes perceived negatively.
One reason for the negative perception of the tactile experience of doing the
laundry is
the nature of detergents that are used to wash clothing. In particular, liquid
laundry detergents,
while providing for exceptional cleaning and stain removal, tend to have
somewhat of a slippery
or slimy feel. It is not uncommon for small amounts of liquid laundry
detergent to be spilled,
dripped, or runoff as the liquid detergent is dosed to the washing machine.
Sometimes these
small amounts of laundry detergent end up being deposited on the cap of the
package for the
laundry detergent.
For many liquid laundry detergent products, the cap functions as the dosing
device for the
detergent. The cap can also function as the closure of the container of
detergent. The cap can
also be an article that is removably attached to the container, directly or
indirectly, and can be
used for dosing detergent.
The consumer interacts with the cap multiple times during the laundering
process: first by
removing the cap, second by dosing the detergent into the cap, third by
applying the dose of
detergent to the wash tub, and fourth by attaching the cap back to the
container, either as a
closure or a component that is releasably attachable to the container,
directly or indirectly.
During handling of the cap, it is not uncommon for a small amount of slippery
liquid laundry
detergent to be deposited on the exterior surface of the cap.
With the advent of caps that also function as a stain pretreatment device, the
consumer
may handle the cap as she pretreats a stain on an article of clothing. In some
designs, a small
quantity of liquid laundry detergent is applied to the stain and a portion of
the exterior surface of
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the cap is used to rub against a stain to pretreat the stain. This process can
result in some residual
amount of slippery liquid laundry detergent being left on the outer surface of
the cap.
When there is some liquid detergent composition on the exterior surface of a
cap,
consumers can have a hard time handling the cap or attaching the cap to the
package, for instance
by screwing the cap into the container, or attaching the cap to the container
in some other
manner. For instance, her grip may slip as she screws the cap into the
container or unscrews or
removes the cap during her next use of the detergent.
Further, if the cap also functions as a stain pretreatment device, the
slipperiness of the cap
being used as a pretreatment device can make it difficult for the consumer to
handle as she
pretreats a stain. If the consumer applies considerable force on the cap
during pretreatment, her
grip may slip on the slick surface of the cap as she vigorously rubs the stain
with the cap. This
can result in spillage of any detergent left in the cap after applying some
detergent to the stain.
With these limitations in mind, there is a continuing unaddressed need for
caps for liquid
laundry detergent packages that provide for a secure grip when opening and
closing the package
as well as secure handling of the cap when the cap is used to pretreat a
stained article of clothing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A package for a liquid laundry detergent composition comprising a container; a
liquid
laundry detergent composition contained in the container; and a cap removably
attached to the
container, wherein the cap comprises: a base having a base interior and a base
exterior opposing
the base interior, the base interior having a periphery; a vessel wall having
an interior surface and
an exterior surface opposing the interior surface, the vessel wall extending
from the periphery to
a rim, the interior surface and the base interior defining a pour volume, the
base interior forming
a closed end of the pour volume; and an in-mold label affixed to at least a
portion of the exterior
surface. The cap can comprise a plurality of surface irregularities at
location selected from the
group consisting of on the rim, proximal the rim, on the exterior surface, on
the base exterior, and
combinations thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side view of a package that includes a container and a cap, the
cap having an
in-mold label.
Figure 2 is a side view, with a portion of the cap and closure rendered in
cross section, of
a package that includes a container and a cap, the cap being releasably
attachable to and
detachable from the container and the cap having an in-mold lab.
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Figure 3 is cap and a container.
Figure 4 is an in-mold labeling apparatus.
Figure 5 is an in-mold labeling apparatus.
Figure 6 is an in-mold labeling apparatus.
Figure 7 is a side view of a cap having an in-mold label, the height of the in-
mold label
varying about the longitudinal axis of the cap.
Figure 8 is a cap having an in-mold label and surface irregularities on the
rim.
Figure 9 illustrates an embodiment of ribs.
Figure 10 illustrates an embodiment of nubs.
Figure 11 illustrates and embodiment of bristles.
Figure 12 illustrates an embodiment of rings.
Figure 13 illustrates a cap in which the bristles are nested within the
maximum radial
extent and maximum axial extent of the cap, the height of the in-mold label
varying about the
longitudinal axis of the cap.
Figure 14 is a side view of a cap having surface irregularities and an in-mold
label.
Figure 15 is a side view of a cap having surface irregularities and an in-mold
label.
Figure 16 is a bottom view of the cap shown in Figure 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a package 2 for a liquid laundry
detergent
composition 300. The package can comprise a container 110 containing liquid
laundry
detergent 300. A cap 10 can be removably attached to the container 110. The
cap 10 can be
removably attached to the container 110, by way of non-limiting example, by
screwing the cap
10 into the container 110. Arranged as such, the cap 10 can be unscrewed from
the container
110 to obtain a dose of the liquid laundry detergent composition 300. Once the
dose is applied
to the laundry, the cap 10 can be screwed back into the container 110 or
otherwise be made to be
operatively related to the container. In such an arrangement, the cap 10 can
be the closure of the
container 110. The cap 10 can be a dosing cap sized and dimensioned for
providing a unit dose
of detergent composition 300. The cap 10 can comprise an in-mold label 600.
The cap 10 can
comprise instructions 605 on using the cap 10 to pretreat stains in clothing.
The instructions 605
can be provided on the in-mold label 600. The cap 10 can comprise surface
irregularities 150 on
a portion thereof. The in-mold label 600 disposed on the exterior surface 80
of the cap 10 can
comprise instructions for using the cap to pretreat a garment. The
instructions 605 can be text or
other indicia, for example a pictorial representation, instructing on use of
the cap 10.
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Figure 2 illustrates another embodiment of a package 2 for a liquid laundry
detergent
composition 300. The package can comprise a container 110 containing liquid
laundry detergent
300. A cap 10 can be removably attached to the container 110. The cap 10 can
be removably
attached to the container 110, by way of non-limiting example, by snapping a
protrusion 700
into a receptor 710 that is in the closure 720 of the container 110 or other
component of the
container 110. Arranged as such, the cap 10 can be removed from closure 720,
the closure 720
either opened or removed from the container 110, and liquid laundry detergent
composition 300
can be dosed into the cap 10 and dosed into the washing machine, for example
by pouring or
placing the entire cap 10 in the tub of the washing machine. The cap 10 can be
reattached to the
container 110 after being sent through the wash or after dosing a unit dose of
detergent
composition 300 from the cap 10.
The closure 720 can be a threaded closure that screws into and out of the
container 110.
The closure 720 can be flip top closure. The cap 10 can be sealingly engaged
with the container
110, for example by a threaded connection.
Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of a cap 10 for dispensing a detergent
composition
300. The detergent composition can comprise a surfactant. The detergent
composition 300 can
comprise a surfactant and a bleach compound. The detergent composition 300 can
comprise a
surfactant and an enzyme. The cap 10 comprises a base 20. The base 20 has a
base interior 30
and a base exterior 40 opposing the base interior 30. The base interior 30 has
a periphery 50.
The base 20 can be a single layer of material, such as high density
polyethylene or
polypropylene, a multilayered material, a hollow member, or any other such
structure or
material having sufficient structural integrity to be used in a cap 10 for a
container 110 of
laundry detergent composition 300. The base exterior 40 can provide a surface
arrangement that
can be stably set upon another surface that is substantially flat as measured
on a scale of
centimeters, such as a table or a flat portion of a washing machine or dryer.
Such surface
arrangement can be a generally flat surface or contoured surface arrangement.
When the base
20 is set on a flat surface, detergent composition 300 from a container 110
can be poured into
the pour volume 100 of the cap 10 and the cap 10 will not easily tip over as
detergent
composition 300 is poured into the pour volume 100. The pour volume 100 can be
more than
about 5 mL, alternatively more than about 15 mL, alternatively more than about
30 mL. The
pour volume 100 can be sized and dimensioned to contain a single dose of the
detergent
composition 300. The pour volume 100 can be sized and dimensioned to contain
less than 200
mL of detergent composition 300, alternatively less than about 180 mL
alternatively less than
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about 170 mL, alternatively less than about 140 mL, alternatively less than
about 100 mL of
detergent composition.
A vessel wall 60 extends from the periphery 50 to a rim 90. The vessel wall 60
extends
about the longitudinal axis L of the cap. The vessel wall 60 has an interior
surface 70 and an
5 exterior surface 80 opposing the interior surface 70. The vessel wall 60
can be a single layer of
material, such as high density polyethylene or polypropylene, a multilayered
material, a hollow
member, or any other such structure or material having sufficient structural
integrity to be used
as a cap 10 for a container of laundry detergent composition 300. The interior
surface 70 can be
provided with one or more indicia 62 that mark the desired level of detergent
composition 300
that provides for an appropriate unit dose of detergent composition 300. The
indicia 62 can be
an etch, a depression, a raised portion, printing, or any other structure that
is observable by the
consumer. The vessel wall 60 can be a cylindrical segment.
The interior surface 70 and base interior 30 together define a pour volume
100, the base
interior 30 forming a closed end of the pour volume 100. The pour volume 100
can be sized and
dimensioned to provide for a unit dose of a detergent composition 300. The
detergent
composition 300 can be a liquid detergent composition 300 such as any of the
liquid detergents
marketed as TIDE, available from The Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, OH,
USA. In one
embodiment, the interior surface 70 and base interior 30 together form an open
ended, or
partially open ended, cup with the base interior 30 forming the closed end of
the cup. The
longitudinal axis L can extend through the open portion of the open end of the
cap 10 defined by
or partially by the rim 90.
The interior surface 70 of the vessel wall 60 can be defined by a surface of
revolution
about the longitudinal axis L. In one embodiment, interior surface 70 of the
vessel wall 60 can
be defined by a portion of the interior surface of a hollow cylinder. Surfaces
of revolutions of
functions not parallel to the longitudinal axis L and surfaces of revolution
of non-linear
functions are contemplated. A cap 10 having an interior surface 70 of vessel
wall 60 that is a
surface of revolution can provide for ease of manufacture of the cap 10 and
engaging the cap 10
with the container 110 after filling the container 110 with detergent
composition 300 during
manufacture and packaging.
The cap 10 can be sealingly engaged to a container 110 containing a detergent
composition 300. By sealingly engaged, it is meant that the cap 10 does not
leak an
unacceptable quantity of detergent composition 300 from the container 110
under stresses to the
cap 10 and container 110 that occur during manufacturing, packaging, shipping,
handling,
storage, and use of the container 110 and detergent composition 300 stored
therein. The cap 10
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can be sealingly engaged to the container 110 by a connector 130 disposed on
the cap 10 and a
corresponding receiver 132 disposed on an opening 112 (or open end) of the
container. The
connector 130 and corresponding receiver 132 can be a lug and groove
combination, the
combination being arranged such the lug can be the connector 130 or the
receiver 132 and the
groove being whichever of the connector 130 and receiver 132 that the lug is
not. The
connector 130 and receiver 132 can be interlocking correspondingly disposed
threads 134
helically disposed on the cap 10 and container 110. That is, the connector 130
can be threads
and the receiver 132 can be corresponding threads. The cap 10 can be sealingly
engaged to the
container by threads 134 helically disposed on the cap 10 and corresponding
disposed threads
134 on the opening 112 of the container 110. The cap 10 can be provided with a
connector 130
at any suitable location such that the connector 130 can be operatively
engaged with the receiver
132 on the container 110. The connector 130 can be disposed on the exterior
surface 80 of the
vessel wall 60. The connector 130 can be disposed on the interior surface 70
of the vessel wall
60. The cap 10 can be provided with threads 134 in any suitable location such
that the threads
134 can be operatively engaged with the container 110. The threads 134 can be
disposed on the
exterior surface 80 of the vessel wall 60. The threads 134 can be disposed on
the interior
surface 70 of the vessel wall 60, which can provide for cleaner use of the cap
10.
The cap 10 can comprise an in-mold 600 label affixed to at least a portion of
the exterior
surface 80. In-mold labeling is a method for decorating molded parts in which
an in-mold label
is placed in the mold before the part is formed. The in-mold label 600 can
comprise the same
resin as the molded part or be comprised of some other resin or mixture of
resins such that in-
mold label 600 fuses with the molded part when the molded part is formed. That
is, the in-mold
label 600 is integrally embedded to the molded part, for instance the cap 10.
Advantageously,
this process eliminates the need for an adhesive to hold a label on the part
or relying on tension
in a label shrink sleeve to secure the shrink sleeve label. Further, labels
provided via in-mold
labeling do not slip off of the molded part like shrink sleeves have a
propensity to do. The in-
mold label 600 can be sized and dimensioned such that the in-mold label 600 is
bounded by the
boundary of the exterior surface 80 so that the in-mold label 600 does not
extend beyond the
exterior surface 80. The vessel wall 60 of the cap 10 can be injection molded
from
polypropylene. The in-mold label 600 can be a polypropylene film. The in-mold
label can be
free of adhesive. The package 2 can be free from an adhesive between the in-
mold label 600
and the container 110.
In the in-mold labeling process, an in-mold label 600 is placed in the cavity
of the female
mold and held in the desired position by vacuum ports, electrostatic
attraction, or a roll-feed
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device. In the case of injection molding in-mold labeling, the mold is closed
and molten plastic
resin is injected into the mold cavity where the molten resin conforms to the
shape of the cavity.
Hot resin envelopes surfaces of the in mold label that are not facing the
surface of the mold and
makes the in-mold label 600 and integral part of the molded part. The in-mold
label 600 is a
constituent part of the molded part, for example the cap 10, as opposed to
being a label adhered
to the part. The in-mold label 600 can be fused to the exterior surface 80 of
the vessel wall
In typical in-mold labeling processes, as shown in Figs. 4-6, a robot is used
to pick up a
stack-cut in-mold label 600 from a label magazine 900 and place the in-mold
label 600 in the
female mold 910. Pick-up can be provided for by employing a mandrel 920,
possibly a rotating
mandrel or other end-of-arm tool, having vacuum ports 940 to draw the in-mold
label 600 onto
the machine element conveying the in-mold label 600 from the magazine to the
female mold.
The mold can be provided with vacuum ports to draw the in-mold label 600
against a surface of
the mold cavity. Alternatively, a static charge is placed on the in-mold label
600 by a charging
applicator 930 after the in-mold label 600 is picked up from the label
magazine and the mold
can be grounded, thereby attracting the in-mold label 600 to the surface of
the mold.
The mandrel 920 is inserted into the female mold 910 where the in-mold label
600 is
attracted to the female mold 910. The empty mandrel 920 is removed from the
female mold
910. And the male mold 940 is inserted into the female mold 910 and then
melted resin is
injected into the cavity defined by the male mold 940 and female mold 910.
A cap 10 having an in-mold label 600 is thought to have several potential
advantages
over a cap 10 that is devoid of any such label or has a shrink sleeve label.
Typically, caps 10 are
formed from polypropylene. When injection molded, polypropylene can have a
slick surface,
especially when wetted with water or detergent. Caps 10 used for laundry
detergent packages 2
tend to become wetted with laundry detergent 300 over the course of usage.
When the slick
surface of the polypropylene cap 10 is wetted with laundry detergent 300, the
cap 10 can be
difficult to tighten and/or remove from the package 2 since the user might be
unable to get a
firm grasp on the cap 10. To overcome this problem, designers of caps 10
sometimes provide
texture to the cap 10 via texture cut into the molds in which the caps 10 are
made. Injection
molds are expensive capital items so manufacturers tend to want to use the
molds for as long as
possible. Thus, once a designer of a cap has selected a design for the
texture, the manufacturer
may be stuck with a static design for the texture on the cap 10. This limits
designers' potential
to change the texture when more efficacious or visually attractive textures
are identified through
research and development. Further, this limits designers' potential to excite
consumers with
new patterns for the texture on the cap 10. In-mold labels 600 having a
variety of textures are
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readily available in the market. Thus, designers can simply change from one in-
mold label 600
having a certain texture to another in-mold label 600 having another texture
to change the design
the cap 10, without having to fabricate a new mold. This can be a substantial
capital cost
savings for a manufacturer and can grant the manufacturer a wide range of
design freedom.
Shrink sleeve labels can suffer from the defect that the labels frequently
become
unattached from the cap 10 during manufacturing, storage, shipping, display,
and home use.
Unattached labels can cause faults in manufacturing equipment and result in
messy displays in
which some packages 2 have a label on the cap 10 and some packages 2 do not
have a label on
the cap. Even the use of an adhesive between the shrink sleeve and the cap 10
has failed to
reduce this defect to a low enough frequency to be acceptable to manufacturers
and consumers.
The in-mold label 600 can substantially circumscribe the vessel wall 60. Such
an
arrangement can be practical for ensuring that when the consumer picks up the
cap 10, her hand
is highly likely to be in contact with the in-mold label 600. Further, such an
arrangement can
provide the marketer with space on which to provide decoration, instruction,
indicia, or text
observable to the consumer at the point of purchase and during use.
The in-mold label 600 can be textured. A textured in-mold label 600 can
provide a
better surface, in comparison to a shrink wrap label or a cap 10 having a
smooth vessel wall
exterior surface 80, for the consumer to grip as she removes the cap 10 from
the package 2, uses
the cap 10 to dose detergent composition 300, or uses the cap 10 to pretreat a
stain in an article
of clothing. An example of a textured in-mold label 600 is ORANGE PEEL FILM,
available
from Drukkerij Verstraete n.v., Maldegem, Belgium, which is a white foamed
film (70 p.m
thick) formed from multiple layers. The orange peel name refers to the texture
of the film being
similar to the texture found in an orange peel. The texture can be provided by
a plurality of high
and low regions differing in elevation by more than about 10 p.m,
alternatively more than about
20 p.m, alternatively more than about 40 p.m, alternatively more than about 50
p.m. The texture
can be a micro pattern. Texture can be imparted to a label, for example, by
hydroforming, a
transfer process (optionally UV), pattern molding, or roller pressing method.
Suitable materials
for the in-mold label include polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate,
polycarbonate,
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene, poly methyl methacrylate, or
the like.
The vessel wall 60 can have a height H, as shown in Figure 7. The height H
extends
between the periphery 50 and the rim 90 in a direction parallel to the
longitudinal axis L. The
height H can be variable about the longitudinal axis L. A variable height H
can exist in a cap 10
that has a base 20 that is not flat. The in-mold label 600 can have a label
height B. The label
height B can be aligned with the height H of the vessel wall 60. The label
height B can be
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variable about the longitudinal axis L and the in-mold label 600 can fit
within boundaries of the
vessel wall 60. That is, the label height B can vary at different locations on
the vessel wall 60.
The boundaries of the vessel wall can be the periphery 50 and the rim 90.
Without being bound
by theory, it is thought that placing a shrink sleeve label on a cap 10 having
non-flat base 20 can
be challenging to do and yield results that are not aesthetically pleasing and
possibly distort any
printing that is on the shrink sleeve.
The cap 10 can have a sealing flange 91 extending from the vessel wall 60 and
extending
about the longitudinal axis L. The in-mold label 600 can fit within an area of
the cap 10
bounded by the periphery 50 and the sealing flange 91.
As shown in Figure 8, the cap 10 can comprise a plurality of surface
irregularities 150 at
a location selected from the group consisting of on the rim 90, on the
exterior surface 80, and
combinations thereof. For instance, as shown in Figure 8, the surface
irregularities 150 can be
on or proximal the rim 90. The surface irregularities 150 can be on the rim 90
and between the
connector 130 and the rim 90. The surface irregularities 150 can be on the rim
90. The surface
irregularities 150 can be within about 5 mm of the rim 90. The surface
irregularities 150 can be
on or within about 5 mm of the rim 90. The surface irregularities 150 can be
on the rim 90 and
between the connector 130 disposed on the cap 10 and the rim 90. When the
consumer grips the
cap 10 to execute pouring, once the pour is made, surface irregularities 150
located as such are
in position to be used to scrub the stain on the fabric with the surface
irregularities 150 without
requiring the consumer to reposition the cap 10 in her hand. Further, by
placing the surface
irregularities 150 as such, after using the cap 10 to pretreat and dose the
detergent composition
300, the surface irregularities 150, which might have a small amount of
detergent composition
300 remaining thereon, can fit back within the opening 112 (that is the open
end) of the
container 110 to keep any mess inside the container 110.
The cap 10 can be provided with an in-mold label 600 as described herein. The
in-mold
label 600 can provide the exterior surface 80 of the vessel wall 60 with a
material that provides
a secure non-slip gripping surface to the consumer as she grips the cap 10 to
pretreat a stain.
Without being bound by theory, it is thought that as the consumer vigorously
rubs the first
surface irregularities 150 back and forth across a stain, that the cap 10 can
be too slick to handle
or grip securely, especially if detergent composition 300 has been deposited
on the exterior
surface 80 of the cap 10. The in-mold label 600 can be textured, as described
previously, to
provide for a secure surface for the consumer to grasp as she pretreats a
stain by scrubbing the
stain.
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Surface irregularities 150 can provide a topographically diverse surface that
can be
rubbed against a stained fabric before or after detergent composition 300 is
applied to a stain in
a fabric as part of a stain pretreatment process. A topographically diverse
surface is a surface
that is not smooth. The surface irregularities 150 when rubbed against a stain
on a fabric are
5 thought to help dislodge agglomerations of the stain, deform the fibrous
structure of the fabric
allowing the detergent composition 300 to more completely penetrate the
fibrous structure, and
manipulate the fibers of the fabric thereby allowing a greater surface area of
the fibers to be
wetted with the detergent composition 300. Without being bound by theory, it
is believed that
dislodging agglomerations of the stain, more completely penetrating the
stained fabric with
10 detergent composition 300, and applying detergent composition 300 to a
greater surface area of
fibers can improve the efficacy of pretreatment of stains in fabrics.
The plurality of surface irregularities 150 can have a surface topography that
is distinct
from the surface topography of portions of the cap 10 adjacent the plurality
of surface
irregularities 150. The surface irregularities 150 can provide for a surface
having a plurality of
peaks and a plurality of low portions that have an amplitude between adjacent
peaks and low
portions greater than about 0.1 mm. The surface irregularities 150 can provide
for a surface
having a plurality of peaks and a plurality of low portions that have an
amplitude between
adjacent peaks and low portions greater than about 0.2 mm. The surface
irregularities 150 can
provide for a surface having a plurality of peaks and a plurality of low
portions that have an
amplitude between adjacent peaks and low portions greater than about 0.5 mm.
The surface
irregularities 150 can provide for a surface having a plurality of peaks and a
plurality of low
portions that have an amplitude between adjacent peaks and low portions
greater than about 1
mm. The low portions can be valleys. The plurality of surface irregularities
150 can define a
region that has a surface topography that differs from the surface topography
of portions of the
cap 10 adjacent the region. The surface irregularities 150 can be a series of
elevated portions
having intermittently disposed recessed portions. Recessed portions can be
continuous.
Elevated portions can be continuous.
In one embodiment, the surface irregularities 150 can comprise a first
material and
another portion of the cap 10 next to the first material can comprise a second
material, wherein
the first material and the second material differ from one another. In one
embodiment, the
surface irregularities 150 can comprise a first material and another portion
of the cap 10 next to
the first material can comprise a second material, wherein the first material
and the second
material differ from one another by a property selected from the group
consisting of modulus of
elasticity, chemical composition, Shore A hardness, color, and combinations
thereof. Shore A
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Hardness is measured following ASTM D2240 on a material of the same
composition as the
material being evaluated. A cap 10 comprising surface irregularities 150
comprised of a first
material and another portion of the cap 10 next to the first material
comprising a second material
can be formed by a two shot injection molding process, with the first material
and the second
material delivered to the mold in separate shots. In one embodiment, the first
material can
comprise polypropylene, rubber, neoprene, and/or KRATON. In one embodiment,
the portion
of the cap 10 next to the first material can be high density polyethylene,
polypropylene,
polyamide, styro lacrylintrol. The first surface irregularities 150 can be an
elastomeric material.
In one embodiment the first material can have a softer feel to the user than
the second
material, as might be indicated by a lower Shore A hardness or lower modulus
of elasticity. The
second material can be selected to provide for acceptable overall structural
stability of the cap
during packaging, storing, shipping, and display of the detergent composition
300 and during
use of the cap 10 by the consumer to pretreat stains. A more readily
deformable first material
might provide for a scrubbing surface that is gentler on the fabric being
treated than a scrubbing
surface formed of the second material and may not damage the fabric being
treated. The first
material can have a Shore A hardness between about 20 and about 80. The first
material can
have a Shore A hardness of between about 40 and about 60. The first material
can have a Shore
A hardness that is less than about 80% of the Shore A hardness of a portion of
the cap 10 next to
the first material.
Providing the first material and the second material in two different colors
can help the
consumer quickly identify what part of the cap 10 is engineered to be used for
scrubbing the
stain and might be helpful to vision systems that might be used to position
the cap 10 during
manufacture and/or assembly of the cap and packaging of the detergent
composition 300.
Providing the first material and the second material to have different
chemical composition can
yield a cap 10 for which different parts of the cap 10 are designed to provide
for different
functions, such as one part of the cap being practical and durable for
scrubbing and another part
of the cap 10 providing for structural stability.
The plurality of surface irregularities 150 can be structures selected from
the group
consisting of rings, ribs 152, nubs, bristles, fibers, and combinations
thereof. Ribs are a plurality
of elongated elevated portions with intermittently disposed elongated recessed
portions that are
depressed relative to the elevated portions. Ribs 152 can be, for example, a
plurality of adjacent
grooves etched or molded in substrate and can be a plurality of adjacent
ridges. Ribs can be
formed in a substrate, for example, by etching a plurality of adjacent grooves
in the substrate, by
molding the substrate to leave behind a plurality of adjacent grooves, and by
molding the
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substrate to leave behind a plurality of adjacent ridges. An example of a
substrate that can form
a portion of cap 10 having surface irregularities 150 having a plurality of
ribs 152 is
schematically illustrated in Figure 9. Ribs 152 can have any desired cross
sectional shape
including straight edged and rounded. Ribs 152 can be curved along their
length. Ribs 152 are
thought to provide for a bumpy topography that can effectively scrub and
massage the fabric.
Nubs 154 are generally two-dimensionally symmetric features that are elevated
or
depressed relative to adjacent portions, an example schematic of which is
shown in Figure 10.
Nubs can be, by way of non-limiting examples, elevated portions or depressed
portions having a
shape of a portion of a hemisphere and elevated portions or depressed portions
having a shape of
a cylinder having a height H less than half the diameter D. An example of a
substrate that can
form a portion of cap 10 having surface irregularities 150 having a plurality
of nubs 154 is
schematically illustrated in Figure 10. Nubs 154 are thought to provide for a
bumpy topography
that can effectively scrub and massage the fabric.
An example of a portion of cap 10 having a plurality of bristles 156 is
schematically
illustrated in Figure 11. Bristles 156 are filaments having an aspect ratio of
height H to diameter
D greater than about 0.5. The diameter D is determined at the base of the
bristle which is the
location from which the bristle 156 extends from the cap 10. The height H of
the bristle 156 is
measured orthogonal to the surface from which the base of the bristle 156
extends with the
bristle 156 extended orthogonally from the surface from which the base of the
bristle 156
extends. Bristles 156 can have a self sustaining shape when extended from the
surface from
which the base of the bristle 156 extends. For bristles 156 having a non-
cylindrical cross section,
the diameter D is taken to be the diameter of a cylinder having the same cross-
sectional area as
the cross-section area of the bristle 156 at the location from which the
bristle 156 extends from
the cap 10. The filaments can be discrete filaments. Bristles 156 can be
filaments having an
aspect ratio of height H to diameter D greater than about 1. Bristles 156 can
be filaments having
an aspect ratio of height H to diameter D greater than about 0.5. Bristles 156
can be generally
columnar bristles 156. Bristles 156 are thought to provide for a rough
texture/topography that
can effectively scrub and massage the fabric. Bristles 156 can be hollow.
Bristles 156 can have
a fixed end 256 and a free end 257.
Rings 158 are closed shapes in which the central portion 159 of the shape is
recessed
relative to a peripheral portion 161 of the shape, schematic examples of which
are shown in
Figure 12. Rings 158 are thought to be practical in that they provide for a
bumpy topography
that can effectively scrub and massage the fabric.
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Fibers can be woven, nonwoven, hooked, or looped fibers, for example, and be
provided
for instance by a woven or nonwoven fibrous web being attached to the cap 10
in the desired
location. An inexpensive and easily manufactured embodiment of cap 10 can be
made by using
fibers as the surface irregularities 150.
Embodiments in which the cap comprises a plurality of surface irregularities
150 on the
outside of the cap 10 such that the connecter 130 is between the rim 90 and
the surface
irregularities 150 are also contemplated, as shown in Figure 13. The scrubbing
surface of the
cap 10 can be provided on the outside of the cap such that the connecter 130
is between the rim
90 and the surface irregularities 150 and possibly not be provided elsewhere
on the cap. The
cap 10 can comprise a plurality of surface irregularities 150 at a location
selected from the group
consisting of on a portion of the base exterior 40, on a portion of the
exterior surface 80, and
combinations thereof.
The cap 10 can comprise a plurality of surface irregularities 150 at a
location selected
from the group consisting of on said base exterior 40 with said surface
irregularities 150 being
asymmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis L, on the exterior surface
80 with the
surface irregularities 150 being asymmetrically disposed about the
longitudinal axis L, on the
base exterior 40 with the surface irregularities 150 comprising bristles 156,
on the exterior
surface 80 with the surface irregularities 150 comprising bristles 156, and
combinations thereof.
In such embodiments, the surface irregularities 150 can be disposed such that
the connector 130
is between the rim 90 and the surface irregularities 150. Surface
irregularities 150 can be any of
the structures described previously with respect to surface irregularities
150. The surface
irregularities 150 can be structures selected from the group consisting of
rings 158, ribs 152,
nubs 154, bristles 156, fibers, and combinations thereof.
By placing the surface irregularities 150 as such, the surface irregularities
can be located
such that after the consumer dispenses a small volume of detergent composition
300 to pretreat a
stain, the surface irregularities 150 are located such that the user does not
have to reposition the
cap 10 in her hand or significantly move her hand to be able to position the
surface irregularities
150 in an appropriate position to be rubbed against the stain.
The surface irregularities 150 can comprise a first material and another
portion of the cap
10 next to the first material can comprise a second material, wherein the
first material and the
second material differ from one another by a property selected from the group
consisting of
modulus of elasticity, chemical composition, color, Shore A hardness, and
combinations thereof.
Such an arrangement can be provided in the same manner and for the same
reasons as described
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above for a cap 10 in which the surface irregularities 150 are formed from a
different material
than another portion of the cap 10.
Embodiments in which the surface irregularities 150 are asymmetrically
disposed about
the longitudinal axis L can help the consumer identify what portion of the cap
10 is provided for
scrubbing the stain during pretreatment. By asymmetrically disposed, it is
meant that such
asymmetrically disposed surface irregularities 150 are disposed such that the
surface
irregularities 150 on the exterior surface 80 or base exterior 40 are not
balanced about a single
location, such as a point on the longitudinal axis L or other point.
For surface irregularities 150 that are bristles 156, bristles 156 can be
formed such that
the bristles are generally aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis, as for
instance shown in Figure
13, or generally aligned orthogonal to the longitudinal axis L. In such an
arrangement, when the
surface irregularities 150 are scrubbed against the stained fabric, the cap 10
is likely to be tilted.
Thus, as the user scrubs with the cap, a combination of normal forces and
shear forces can be
delivered to the stained fabric and the bristles 156 may tend to bend thereby
creating an
effective brushing movement of the individual bristles 156.
The bristles 156, if present as surface irregularities 150, can be set such
that the bristles
156 are nested within the maximum radial extent of the exterior surface 80 of
the cap 10 from
the longitudinal axis L, as shown in Figure 14. Such an arrangement can
protect the bristles 156
from damage during transport, storage, and use. For a similar benefit, the
bristles 156 can be set
such that the bristles 156 are nested within the maximum axial extent along
the longitudinal axis
L. Similarly, other types of surface irregularities can be nested within the
maximum radial
extent of the exterior surface 80 of the cap 10 from the longitudinal axis L
and nested within the
maximum axial extent along the longitudinal axis L.
Figure 15 illustrates a side view of another embodiment of a cap 10 in which
the cap 10
can be removably attached and attachable to the container 110. As shown in
Figure 15, the cap
10 can have surface irregularities 150 on the base 20. The surface
irregularities 150 can be
bristles or any of the surface irregularities 150 described herein. As shown
in Figure 15, the cap
10 can comprise an in-mold label 600 on the exterior surface 80. A bottom view
of the cap 10
shown in Figure 15 is shown in Figure 16. As shown in Figure 16, the cap 10
can have a
snapping protrusion 700 that fit into a receptor 710 located on the container
or closure 720. The
snapping protrusion can be a ring or other protrusion, or recess, within the
pour volume 100 of
the cap 10. Such protrusion, or recess, can fit snuggly with the receptor 710,
that is a receptor or
protrusion. Male to female fittings can be employed to provide for a degree of
interlocking
interconnectedness between the cap 10 and the container 110 or closure 720.
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A cap 10 may be used in a method of pretreating a clothing article having a
stained
portion. The method can comprise the steps of removing a cap 10 from a
container containing a
detergent; pouring or dispensing a volume of the detergent composition 300
from the container
110 into the cap 10; applying at least a portion of the volume of the
detergent composition 300
5 to a stained portion of the stained clothing article; scrubbing the
stained portion with a portion of
the cap 10; reengaging the cap 10 with the container 110 containing the
detergent composition
300. The step of scrubbing the stained portion with a portion of the cap 10
can be performed
with a portion of the cap 10 selected from the group consisting of the rim 90
of the cap 10, a
portion of the cap 10 between the rim 90 and the connector 130, the exterior
surface 80, the base
10 exterior 40 of the cap 10, and combinations thereof. The cap 10 used in
the method can be any
of the various embodiments and combinations of embodiments of the cap 10
contemplated
herein. The cap 10 can be removed from a container 110 by unscrewing the cap
10 to disengage
threads 134 on the cap 10 from corresponding threads 134 located on the
container 110. The
cap 10 can be reengaged with the container 110 by screwing the cap 10 to
engage threads 134
15 on the cap 10 with threads 134 located on the container 110. The cap 10
can be removed from a
container 110 by pulling the cap 10 off of the container 110 or closure 720
and reengaged with
the container 110 or closure 720 by pressing the cap 10 back into place. The
volume of
detergent composition 300 poured into the cap 10 can be a unit dose of the
detergent
composition 300. The method can comprise a step of placing the cap 10 in the
drum of a
washing machine. In such an approach, detergent composition 300 remaining in
the cap 10 after
pretreatment of a stain can be delivered to the wash.
The color of the first material and second material are measured by the
reflectance
spectrophotometer according to the colors L*, a*, and b* values.
The color difference is calculated using the L*, a*, and b* values by the
formula AE=
l(L*x. ¨ L*y)2 (a*X. ¨ a*Y)2 (b*X ¨ b*Y)211/2. Herein, the 'X' in the
equation represents the
first material and 'Y' represents the second material, X and Y cannot be the
same two points of
measurement at the same time. For any particular comparison of the difference
in color, the
location of X the location of Y.
Reflectance color is measured using the Hunter Lab LabScan XE reflectance
spectrophotometer obtained from Hunter Associates Laboratory of Reston, Va. A
cap 10 is
tested at an ambient temperature between 65 F and 75 F and a relative
humidity between 50%
and 80%.
The spectrophotometer is set to the CIELab color scale and with a D65
illumination. The
Observer is set at 10 and the Mode is set at 45/0 . Area View is set to
0.125" and Port Size is
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set to 0.20". The spectrophotometer is calibrated prior to sample analysis
utilizing the black
glass and white reference tiles supplied from the vendor with the instrument.
Calibration is done
according to the manufacturer's instructions as set forth in LabScan XE User's
Manual, Manual
Version 1.1, August 2001, A60-1010-862. If cleaning is required of the
reference tiles or
samples, only tissues that do not contain embossing, lotion, or brighteners
should be used (e.g.,
PUFFS tissue). Any sample point on the cap containing the color to be analyzed
can be selected.
The cap 10 is placed over the sample port of the spectrophotometer with a
white clamp
disk placed behind the cap 10.
The cap 10 is removed and repositioned so that a minimum of six readings of
color of the
cap 10 are conducted. If possible (e.g., the size of the imparted color on the
element in question
does not limit the ability to have six discretely different, non-overlapping
sample points), each of
the readings is to be performed at a substantially different region on the
externally visible surface
so that no two sample points overlap. If the size of the portion of the cap
comprising the first
material or second material requires overlapping of sample points, only six
samples should be
taken with the sample points selected to minimize overlap between any two
sample points. The
readings are averaged to yield the reported L*, a*, and b* values for a
specified color on an
externally visible surface of an element.
The first material and second material are considered to have different colors
if AE is
greater than about 1.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly
limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise
specified, each such
dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally
equivalent range
surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is
intended to mean
"about 40 mm."
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent
or
application and any patent application or patent to which this application
claims priority or
benefit thereof, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety
unless expressly
excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an
admission that it is prior
art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it
alone, or in any
combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or
discloses any such
invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in
this document
conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document
incorporated by
reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document
shall govern.
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While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is
therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and
modifications that are
within the scope of this invention.
